


More Than Just Friends? | Wanda x Reader

by theOfficialSandwich



Series: The More Than Just Friends Trilogy [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Anxiety, Avengers Tower, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, F/F, F/M, First story, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Hydra (Marvel), Kidnapping, More Than Just Friends?, Reader is gender neutral, Self Confidence Issues, Self-Esteem Issues, Self-Hatred, Social Anxiety, Stark Industries, Stark Tower, more than just friends, posted, theOfficialSandwich
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 06:07:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 8,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24320080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theOfficialSandwich/pseuds/theOfficialSandwich
Summary: Y/N, a top SI scientist lives with the Avengers. They became fast friends with Wanda, though Y/N realises they like Wanda more than just a friend. Wanda feels the same. Then HYDRA get involved. Will Wanda & Y/N ever see each other again? (Reader is Gender Neutral)Part 1 of More Than Just Friends
Relationships: Wanda Maximoff/Reader
Series: The More Than Just Friends Trilogy [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1756864
Comments: 4
Kudos: 42
Collections: Everything from The Official Sandwich





	1. Backstory

**Author's Note:**

> ///UK Helpline (Mind.org.uk): 0208 215 2243///  
> ///US Helpline (Mental Health America): (703) 684.7722///

Y/N L/N had been a scientist at Stark Industries for most of his early adult life, after impressing the famed Tony Stark during the early days of Stark Industries' Gifted & Talented Internship Program, at just 17 years old. When SHIELD launched the Avengers Initiative, Stark asked Y/N to move thier work from Stark Industries' Experimental Development Lab in Washington, into Stark Tower. It was an easy yes from Y/N, as they’d be moving from a small apartment to SI’s US headquarters - put simply, a bigger apartment, greater accessibility to resources, and of course a larger salary that were sure to help with college loans. 

Y/N had no family to speak of, remembering as far back as joining the orphanage,, but even then their childhood was a blur. When Y/N got their Internship at Stark Industries, they were overjoyed, Y/N had finally made a success of themselves, something many orphans thought was impossible. Even so, Y/N had always thought badly of themself, why did some orphan deserve an internship at such a prestigious company. 

_ “I guess I must've got lucky” _ Y/N often thought.

After the Battle of New York, and the rebuilding of Stark Tower, (now known as the Avengers Tower), Y/N’s lab space and equipment were massively improved upon, allowing Y/N to split their time and ridiculously large budget between developing for Stark Industries and developing for the Avengers. Y/N was incredibly grateful to their Boss, but they were advised by Pepper to stop telling him so. 

“His ego doesn’t need to be inflated any bigger.” She had said.

Y/N had become really good friends with all of them, especially with Wanda Maximoff, who had joined the Avengers a couple of months after Loki’s Invasion. They were best friends and the other Avengers could often find the two hanging out around the Tower. When Wanda and Y/N had first met, both aged 23, they found that they shared a lot in common. They’d both lost family at a young age. For her, it was her parents and her brother Pietro during her country's Civil War, and for Y/N, their Grandmother. Y/N didn't remember her, but the orphanage had told Y/N she had carried for Y/N when their father left. Y/N’s mother died shortly after giving birth, their father left soon after and sadly their Grandmother passed a few years later when Y/N was just 11. 

The two were close, bonding over their traumatic childhoods with Y/N only ever telling Wanda thiers. However, deep down Y/N knew they wanted to be more than that with her. Y/N had never expressed these feelings to her, for fear of losing the cherished friendship they’d built. Y/N’s mind raced with thoughts saying they were wrong to have feelings for their best friend; that they were slowly destroying the friendship by thinking them, and that Wanda only talked to Y/N out of pity anyway, so why push for something more.

Despite understanding the unhealthy nature of these thoughts, Y/N’s lack of confidence and self-esteem, plus the irregular panic attacks had long since convinced them these thoughts were true. They hid these thoughts fairly well, so well Y/N was sure no one, not Wanda, not Stark, had picked up on them. Even as these thoughts of self-hatred began to slowly increase in frequency, they still hid them. They’d done this for years - what was a few more? 

“I’m 23, for God's sake, I can fix my problems, just fine.”


	2. Birthday Project

Y/N sat in their lab... alone, working late... again. Y/N’s, Tony Stark Small, apartment in Avengers Tower was connected to their lab, so Y/N often worked late. Tony, Bruce and Y/N meet with other key SI scientists and at our last meeting we’d been joined by some SHIELD excs. One had floated the idea of AI Iron Men Suits stationed in every country around the world, to which Tony quickly shot down, saying it was far too risky. Both to the public and to give SHIELD, and by extension the US Army, access to Iron Man suits. SHIELD had insisted and so Tony had suggested defensive-only technology, pressing that SI would retain ownership and decisions on its use. The three of them had spent the last few days working on it, as SHIELD had pushed for an AI implemented into it, and they were all trying to achieve one that would not end up making its own decisions. Nobody wanted a rogue AI, if we could help it. Y/N’s lab assistant had left hours ago now, and it was rapidly approaching midnight. Y/N was no stranger to late nights so they continued with their research.

"Mx L/N, I must recommend that you sleep, you've been awake for the last 20.4 hours," said JARVIS.

"Thanks, but no thanks JARVIS, but I'm starting to make some real progress here, I'm good" Y/N replied, yawning heavily through the late part.

_ “Maybe I should get some sleep.” _ , I thought to myself.

"Would you like me to continue the running Test 45-B, throughout the night, Mx L/N?"

_ “Did I say that out loud?” _

"Nah, I'll finish it tomorrow. You can close down the lab for the night." Y/N said, switching off their laptop and pushing papers back into their respective manila folders.

"Of course, Mx L/N.” JARVIS’ smooth british voice replied.

Standing up and stretching, Y/N gathered their laptop and folders under their arms and left their lab through the door to their apartment, as the lights dimmed behind them.

**~~~~~**

Awaking around 6am the next day, and after some laps of the Tower's Olympic-sized Swimming Pool, Y/N was, once again, back in the lab.

"Hey Y/N." 

"Mornin' Bruce" I replied, looking up to see him walking into my lab.

"Did you sleep in here again tonight?" Bruce asked, setting down a coffee mug, in front of Y/N.

"Oooh thanks Bruce”, Y/N said, picking up the warm mug before continuing, “And no, I was good last night." Y/N replied, a little sarcastically.

Bruce smiled, sipping from his own mug, "Any progress on Test 45-A?"

"It's Test 45-B now..."

"Wait, what!? I thought we had the formulas balanced perfectly?"

"We do"

"But...?"

"But, it keeps frying itself. The use of dual-core lithium-ion batteries, as a power source, is too strong, but I don't see an obvious alternative source."

"Have you tried... " Bruce started, before being interrupted.

"Hey Nerds! Breakfasts ready!" Tony yelled down the lab hallway, with Bruce sighing at the nickname.

"Go to breakfast,  _ Nerd _ . I'll be along in a minute.” Y/N teased, watching as Bruce walked out of the lab, grumbling about how  _ "We are both 'Nerds'"  _ and _ how "Tony was also a 'Nerd'". _

**~~~~~**

Y/N smiled to themself, “JARVIS, bring out Test 4-A, please.”

"Of course, Mx L/N."

The familiar hiss of air caused Y/N to turn to their left as Test 4-A slid down a pressurised tube and into their view. Reaching down to pick it up, Y/N unfolded it and looked it over. Test 4-A was the current iteration of an armoured version of Wanda's trademark red leather jacket, a project Y/N had been designing since a bullet had grazed her right forearm on a mission. Y/N hoped to have it ready in time for her birthday in a months time.

_ “If it gets finished on time, maybe she’ll see me as more than a-”  _ Y/N’s thoughts were cut off by JARVIS’s voice coming over the speakers.

"Mx L/N, the other avengers request your presence in the communal living area."

Putting Wanda's gift back in the pressured tube, and sending it back to storage, I answered JARVIS. "Tell ‘em I'm on my way."

"Certainly, Mx L/N."


	3. Unhealthy Thoughts

Walking into the Common Room, Y/N saw all the Avengers sitting round the dining table. All in deep, already established conversations. Y/N had always felt their anxiety begin to bubble to the surface, whenever Y/N was with any of them. The fear of saying the wrong thing, saying something they didn't find funny, taking something funny too far, slightly faltering over their words... Y/N was just  _ “some scientist” _ , these were the AVENGERS!

_ "I don't belong here, they don't need me, I'm nothing"  _ Y/N found themself silently repeating their now well-used mantra of sorts. Looking up, after realising they’d been sitting in their thoughts for a while now, Y/N noticed no one was looking at them,  _ "Why would they be, they have their problems to deal with" _ .

Y/N mentally cursed on seeing Wanda. " _ She can read minds, I need to be careful with my thoughts. Keep them quiet. She'll realise I'm weak, They'll realise I'm weak".  _ She suddenly turned from her conversation with Clint, to look at me, and Y/N mentally cursed again,  _ "Did she hear me".  _ Muttering some excuse about being feeling ill to the Avengers, and getting their quick acknowledgements and well wishes in return, Y/N briskly left the room. On seeing Wanda's worried look as they left, Y/N quicken their pace.

" _ Is she on to me? She must have heard my thoughts!" _ , Y/N thought, almost running towards the nearest elevator now, back to their apartment floor. As the elevator doors pinged open, Y/N sprinted down the lab hallway and practically threw their weight at the door, and after fumbling with its handle, Y/N entered the apartment. Hurriedly locking the door, and pushing themself against the door, Y/N slid slowly down it, as tears threatened to spill from their eyes. 

**~~~~~**

About an hour and a half later, Y/N lay on their bed, recounting their latest social disaster. How was it that they could talk comfortably with them all separately, but as soon as that was expanded by even just one extra person, the levels of anxiety and stress felt would leap dramatically.

Y/N snapped their head up when they heard Wanda's voice at the door, calling for them to unlock it, but Y/N chose to ignore her. That morning's short-lived public interaction had left Y/N completely drained, physically and emotionally, and despite it only now just after midday, Y/N allowed themselves to fall asleep.

**~~~~~**

A persistent, rhythmic knocking roused Y/N from their sleep, sometime later. Y/N pushed themselves up, leaning against the headboard. Rubbing the sleep from their eyes, they asked, "Time JARVIS."

"It is 5:37pm, Mx L/N"

"Oh crap, I'm gonna be so far behind on all of my projects now. Thanks, JARVIS."

"If it may be of any comfort to you Mx L/N, Miss Maximoff is currently outside your room. Should I let her in?"

Y/N sighed, "Er yeah, let her in JARVIS."

"Of course, Mx L/N."

_ "How am I gonna explain myself this time?" _ , Y/N thought, almost tearing up again,  _ "Why are conversions so difficult?" _


	4. Under Attack

Slowly shifting so that they were sitting on their bed, Y/N smiled weakly at Wanda, as she walked into the apartment.

"Hey." Y/N greeted.

"You alright Y/N?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"You disappeared at breakfast, and then you slept almost half the day away."

"Sorry about that, I was just feeling sick."

She narrowed her eyes at me, "You don't look sick".

"Oh, I-I'm feeling better now.",  _ "God, I hate lying". _

"What was that?"

"Oh, er... I... nothing."

"Oh, ok. I have training now, do you want to hang out later?"

"Yeah, sure. I've got a lot of lab work to catch up on, beforehand, after sleeping nearly all day."

She smiled, turning back towards the door, "Ok, see you later Y/N".

"Bye Wanda", Y/N said, sighing.

_ "Well, that went well, didn't?", _ Y/N thought sarcastically _ ,  _ sliding off the bed and walking downstairs to their lab.

**~~~~~**

A few hours later Y/N was still in their lab, working hard once again on Test 45-B, now Test 57.

"JARVIS, run the same process again, but use the third module instead".

"Of course Mx L/N, the process may take up to 1 hour. Mr Stark has asked me to inform that the Avengers have been called on a mission, and are unlikely to return until late tomorrow evening"

"Yeah, yeah, thanks JARVIS", Y/N replied, not looking up, and offhandedly waving at the ceiling.

Y/N sighed, they were a little annoyed no one had been up to tell them about the mission in person, especially from Wanda, since they were supposed to be hanging out later today. 

_ "Their mission is much more important than you, they don't need to get permission from you to go on a mission, you selfish idiot".  _

Y/N heard the light sound of some liquid hitting some files on the table in front of me, looking down as Y/N raised a hand to their face, realising they'd been crying. Quickly wiping them away, Y/N turned back to their work.

**~~~~~**

A loud explosion, somewhere below them, threw Y/N out of their concentration on Test 57's progress, the shockwave sending a rack of glass test tubes to fall off a shelf and a full pen pot to clatter to the floor. "JARVIS!? What the hell is going on?"

"An explosion of unknown origin has triggered my sensors on floors 53 & 54, Mx L/N, I am picking up five unidentified heat signatures on those levels also. I must assume the building is currently under siege."

"JARVIS, activate all lockdown protocols and open a secure video call with Tony, NOW!", I shouted, frantically pushing Test 57 back into its pressurised container, sending it back to storage and locking them down.

"Immediately Mx L/N. Lockdown Protocols 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are now active. I have lost contact with floors 53 & 54\. Requesting a Secure Video Transmission with Mr Stark now"


	5. Lost Contact

JARVIS' familiar British tone rang out through the Avengers' Quinjet's comms, "Sir, Mx /L/N has requested a Secure Video Transmission Link, with yourself."

Pulling himself away from the Quinjet's controls and childishly spinning round once in his chair, Tony Stark replied to his AI, "Put him through J."

"Of course Sir, as per Lockdown Protocols 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5, I must also inform you said protocols are currently in effect."

"What?!"

"Secure Video Transmission Link is now Open."

Tony turned to the screen, concern washing over him, "Y/N what's going on!"

"Tony, the Tower's under attack! Floor 53 and 54, JARVIS has lost contact. I think they're on their way up to the labs."

By now the rest of the team had crowded themselves round the Quinjet's monitor, "Don't worry Dr L/N we on our way", Captain America spoke out. Although, his authoritative voice fell on deaf ears, as another explosion was heard through the monitor's speakers.

"Shit Tony, anytime now!"

"Step on it J."

"Increasing Power to all Engines." JARVIS calmly replied.

"Tony, I think they're trying to cut through the door!"

"JARVIS, activate the tower's interior defen-", then the monitor blurred, and went to black, "What, JARVIS reopen the call!"

"I have regretfully lost all connection with the Avengers Tower, Sir."

"Shit, shit, SHIT!" Tony cried out, slamming his fist down onto one of the jets control panels. The other avengers looked at him, worried. Wanda's head was down, she was silent.

Wanda looked up suddenly, "Doesn't the Tower have defences?"

"The defences were remotely shut down. Miss Maximoff" JARVIS answered.

"How's that even possible, Stark," Natasha said.

"I don't know, it shouldn't be." Tony replied, rubbing a hand over his face, a Wanda started to shake.

"Wanda, what's wrong?"

"I'm just worried about Y/N, he there on his own and he wasn't feeling well, Nat"

Nat smiled sympathetically, pulling Wanda into a quick embrace, "They're pretty smart, they'll be able to handle themselves."

**~~~~~**

Tony had to land the Quinjet in the nearby park opposite, as the Tower's landing pad had been damaged in one of the explosions. Steve started to brief them on the plan, "Avengers, the tower is under attack by an unknown enemy. Barton, Thor you go to th-". When Wanda raced toward the Tower, as the Quinjet touched down.

The Tower's emergency crews had begun to put out the small fires on the ground, caused by falling debris, but that wouldn't have stopped Wanda anyway.

Using her powers to propel herself, Wanda rose up towards the smoking hole on floors 53 and 54. Raising her hand to cover mouth and nose, she stalked in the direction of Y/N's lab. A slight flick of her sent the destroyed lab door shooting towards the back wall of the lab.

Wanda rounded the corner.

_ "...they're gone? No please, no" _

At that moment Tony flew through one of the blasted out windows, shirtless, dehulked, and passed out Bruce Banner in his arms. Placing him down in a chair, the suit's faceplate opened up to reveal a very worried looking Iron Man.

"Where's Y/N?"

When Wanda didn't respond, Tony asked again. "Wanda, where is Y/N?"

"They’re gone Stark. My best friend is gone."


	6. HYDRA Invasion

"Tony, they're trying to cut through the door!", Y/N all but screamed into the monitor.

"JARVIS, activate the tower's interior defen-", Y/N heard part of Tony’s reply, before the monitor fuzzed and went to black.

"Er JARVIS, why'd you end it?"

No response.

"JARVIS!? This isn't funny."

Again, no response. Nothing but the violent hiss and sparking of the lab door, as it gradually gave into the laser. Then it finally caved. It shot back against the lab wall, the sudden force of which pushed Y/N down hard against one of their workbenches. As Y/N groaned and tried to stand, four armed soldiers ran in, their guns trained solely on Y/N. Another, presumably their leader by the way he held himself, walked carefully towards Y/N.

"Ah Dr Y/N L/N, we meet at least." he started, giving Y/N a sickly smile.

Despite the panic attack, Y/N could feel beginning to bubble to the surface, or maybe because of it, they jokingly replied, "Actually I normally leave out the whole Dr. thing, don't wanna brag, we have Tony for that."

He slapped them, "I AM SPEAKING, I WILL ADDRESS YOU HOWEVER I SEE FIT!" he paused, stepping back and giving Y/N another sly smile. "I'm here to talk about your dear friend Mr Tony Stark, why don't you come with us?" he said, as he turned and gestured to the other soldiers in the room.

"No thanks, I'm-"

He laughed maniacally and faced me again, "I wasn't asking." he replied before he knocked Y/N out with the butt of his gun. Just before their vision faded I heard him say, "Put them in the van, take them to their new home.", and as he walked away, Y/N clocked the infamous HYDRA symbol on his uniform.

**~~~~~**

Groaning, Y/N tried opening their eyes and after a few attempts, they got them to open fully. Taking in their new surroundings, Y/N realised they were sitting in a cold, metal chair in an equally cold and metal room. In trying to raise their hands, Y/N became aware of handcuffs, keeping them firmly in the chair and no amount of pulling at them would do anything. The soldier, who'd knocked them out previously, chose this moment to enter the room.

"Good morning Dr Y/N L/N, it's so nice to see you awake.", when Y/N didn't answer him he said, "Not much of a talker, eh? We'll soon change that, won't we? Let's start with us then, HYDRA was founded on the belief that humanity could not be trusted with its own freedom. So we aim to control said freedoms by any means necessary. Currently, that includes information on the Avengers, the information you, a close friend of the Avengers, have access to. We want that information."

"I'm just a Stark Industries scientist, I don't know anything about the Avengers."

"Unfortunately for you Dr L/N, we know that's not true. We know you work solely with Stark. We know you live with the Avengers. We know your friends with Avengers. So we know you're lying, and HYDRA DOES NOT TOLERATE LIARS!" he shouted, as he punched Y/N hard in the face, causing their vision to blur.

"Now, here's what's going to happen." he said, flexing his fingers slightly, "I'm going to leave you now, and when I return I expect all the information about the Avengers. Understood?", when Y/N didn't reply, he slapped them and repeated, "Understood!?"

Y/N mustered a feeble, "Understood.", back at him.

"Good. Goodbye Dr L/N." he spoke, venom laced in his words before he turned and left the room, the door slammed loudly behind him.

_ "What am I going to do now? I guess I just need to hold out until the Avengers rescue me. Not that they ever would. It would just be a waste of their time, saving worthless me." _


	7. Torturous Interrogation

After being in the room, for what Y/N estimated was maybe a week and two days, they had begun to lose all hope of ever being rescued. Every day was the same. The soldier would enter in what Y/N assumed was the morning and begin to, what he called, "extract information". By that, he meant to find new and sick ways to torture it out of them, with Y/N’s failure to reveal any left him more frustrated each day that went by. Y/N’s probably tenth day in captivity was no exception.

Y/N awoke that day to ice-cold water being splashed on their face, by a soldier they hadn’t seen before. In complete silence he walked up behind the scientist and yanked their hair back, so that they were pulled hard up against the back of the chair, causing Y/N to yell out.

"How are you this morning, Dr Y/N L/N?", the familiar lead soldier called out, as he entered the room. 

"I'm just fine, how are you?" Y/N replied their throat sore from being underused, or more accurately only used for screaming.

The familiar soldier punched Y/N square in the face and then again in the stomach, both with enough force to cause old injuries to begin to bleed again. Y/N screamed in pain, and both soldiers just laughed. Their leader turned to the other soldier and said something fast in Russian, to which the new soldier roughly let go of Y/N’s hair and left the room. The soldier pulled another chair over and sat down in front of them.

"So, here we are, once again Dr Y/N. Tell me everything you know about the Avengers."

"Never." Y/N said back, through gritted teeth.

He leaned in closer, close enough for Y/N to feel the natural urge to pull back but their cuffs prevented them from being able to escape his presence. Y/N tiredly struggled at them once more, before giving up and slumping down in the chair. He smiled.

"You do realise they're not coming for you right? You've been gone for almost a month."

"A m-month..?"

"A month. They don't care about you. You're useless to them now if you weren't before. No one will ever come for you and you'll die here, alone, if you don't tell us everything you know about the Avengers. What do you have to lose? You have nothing."

"Please, I-I don't know the Avengers..."

"Remember what I said to you when you arrived here, Dr Y/N? HYDRA does not tolerate liars!" he shouted that last part before he grabbed their throat and bore his eyes deep into theirs, "And liars get punished."

Weakening his grip on Y/N’s throat, he knocked them out with his other hand.

**~~~~~**

When Y/N woke up, they were standing up against a wall, their hands held uncomfortably above me. Straining their neck to look up, Y/N realised that their hands were chained to a metal hoop attached to the wall. Rattling their chains briefly, they realised they weren't going anywhere. The rattling must have caught some unwanted attention, as at that moment the lead soldier walked in the room, along with a huge brute of a man.

"Nice to see you with, Dr L/N, this man is here to beat some sense into you."

The brute proceeded to hit Y/N all over for around five minutes before he pulled back. Y/N’s stomach, arms and legs were on fire. Their eyes could barely open and their nose and mouth dripped slowly with bright red blood.

The leader walked back over to them. "Any Avengers information you feel like sharing with us now? Any secrets?"

"Please, ...please just stop."

"Now now, that would be far too easy Dr Y/N."

Crouching down in front of Y/N, he spoke again, "Now since you don't seem to be taking us seriously enough, let's run through some information on yourself. Abandoned at a very young age, you lived in an orphanage in Washington DC, with nine others. At 17 you entered into a Stark Industries Intern Competition, where you did well enough for the great Tony Stark to take you in as his personal intern, and not a year later offer you a job as one of his top scientists. A few months after you were promoted to Deputy Chief Technology Officer at Stark Industries. As you can see, we know you have important Avengers & Stark Industries information.", he moved closer and Y/N could feel his breath on their face, "Now I'm sure you know all of this, Dr Y/N L/N, but what you may not be aware of is what happened to your family, your Father and why your relationships with Stark & Avengers are not the only aspects making you vitally important HYDRA."

"What?"

He stood up and tilted Y/N’s chin up to face him, "We'll tell you, if you decide to reveal the information we desire, I'll be back in 30 minutes, you better hope you've come to the correct decision by then Dr Y/N L/N, for your sake." He laughed and promptly left.

_ "Was he telling the truth? I can't reveal anything, they're still coming to rescue me, they're still coming to rescue me, they're still coming to rescue me. They have to, they will." _


	8. A Lead

Y/N had been gone for 10 days now, the Tower's top floors and their occupants were eerily quiet. Nobody spoke to one another about anything else, other than Y/N. Nobody did anything else, other than looking for Y/N. Y/N was their friend and now they were gone.

Wanda had hardly moved from her room in the 10 days since their mission had been cut short, she missed them. They were her friend, her best friend even, although recently she wished that they were more than that, despite knowing that Y/N didn't feel the same way. Every day since Y/N had been taken, Wanda had told herself every day that they would get them back, but each day that went by, she held less and less hope in that thought.

**~~~~~**

In the evening of the 12th day, Wanda emerged from her room and took the elevator to the Common Room. The whole floor was devoid of life: completely silent. Making her way over to the kitchen in search of some food, Wanda was unaware of Natasha watching her from the doorway. Suddenly sensing her thoughts, Wanda wheeled round, got into a defensive stance and summoned her trademark red wisps of energy to her fingertips. On realising it was only Natasha watching her, she relaxed. In silence, Natasha walked up to her and engulfed them both in a hug. As Wanda started to break down, Natasha tried to calm her.

"We'll find them, Wanda, Y/N's out there somewhere."

"Wha-what if I never see them again?" Wanda stuttered out through her tears.

"You know Y/N, they're resilient, they'll hold out 'till we find them."

"They've been gone almost t-two weeks, Nat!" Wanda replied as she broke down again.

Natasha stayed quiet; Wanda was right. Each day it seemed less and less likely Y/N would be found. Even she had started to lose hope.

She realised Wanda was no longer crying and on looking at her, she saw Wanda was asleep in her arms. The spy carried Wanda to a nearby couch and set her down on it. Wanda was lighter than she should’ve been and Natasha made a mental note to talk to Bruce about it. After sitting opposite Wanda's sleeping form for a bit, Tony entered the room. Natasha heard his oncoming footsteps and snapped up when he walked in.

"Any news?"

"No sorry, we're trying, we know he hasn't left the country."

"If you know he hasn't left the country, you must have some sort of tracker on them." she suddenly glared up at them, "Have you put trackers on the rest of us Stark, because I swear to God, if you've been tracking me I'll make sure you-." Natasha was standing now.

"Hey, hey easy there." he responded, he's hands raised in a surrender-like position, "I don't put trackers on my friends. I know Y/N hasn't left because I've viewed the CCTV cameras of every major airport or airstrip in the country, they're still here."

Natasha sat back down and Tony sat across from her in a leather armchair. After a few moments of silence, he spoke again.

"How is she?" he asked, indicating with his eyes to Wanda.

"Still bad. I saw her in the kitchen and she just broke down, so I carried her to the couch. She's too light for her age, I don't think she’s eating enough, I'm going to talk to Bruce about it."

"I'll tell him, I'm heading back to the lab now."

Natasha just nodded and said, "Find them, Stark."

Tony saluted and replied, "Yes ma'am!"

Natasha rolled her eyes and picked up her book that laid patiently on a nearby coffee table.

**~~~~~**

Natasha heard running footsteps approaching, so she put down her book and reached for her hip holster. As she saw Bruce, Tony and Steve come around the corner and enter the room, she released her grip on the holster. Bruce went to speak, but Tony got in first.

"We found them. We found where Y/N is being held."

Wanda, who had stirred and woken up when the three men tore into the room, was now standing; red energy surrounding her and a fire in her eyes. She simply said four words, all four emblazoned with anger and pure hatred.

"Where?! Tell me now!"


	9. Rescue

Breathing heavily from running, Bruce replied, this time.

"Y/N's at a decommissioned military base around 80 miles north of here."

"Why do they always go to the same places, it’s either an abandoned warehouse or an old military base?", Natasha asked, rhetorically.

"Let's go."

"Wanda, are you sure you're able to go?" Steve asked.

"Of course Y/N is my friend, I need to save them."

"I don't believe you are in the right mental state to go, Wanda, we can expect a strong opposition. Y/N wouldn't want you to get yourself injured over him."

"Bruce, I'm going. OK?! Wanda said, her eyes dared anyone to question her more.

"Well, I guess Wanda's going then." Tony laughed nervously as he ignored Wanda's glare in his direction before he raised his finger in the air and shouted, "Avengers Assemble!" 

"Hey, that's my line." Steve murmured somewhat sadly, as the others quickly left the room.

"Not the time Rogers," Natasha replied, checking a gun that seemed to have appeared from nowhere before she clapped Steve on the back and also left to get ready.

**~~~~~**

_ "So I've been missing for a month? They aren't coming for me."  _ Y/N thought to themselves, as they slowly and painfully awoke after yesterday's beating. Looking around, they realised the chair they were in was different. It had armrests, a higher back and was made entirely of wood, Y/N was strapped into it. A thin rope ran from the back of the chair and snaked all over their body.

Upon this realisation, Y/N just sat there in their own silence, helplessly waiting. Y/N was soon pulled out of their wandering thoughts when the door to my room was practically thrown open.

"Ah, Dr Y/N L/N how are you this morning?" the lead HYDRA soldier said, gleefully.

Y/N looked up at him and said nothing.

"We'll get what we need out of you eventually Y/N, we have our methods. Now today I thought we'd try electrocuting you, how does that sound? Great! Let's get started." He finished, not pausing for an answer.

Y/N immediately felt the electricity surge up through the chair, across those thin wired strings and into my body. Letting out a bloodcurdling scream, Y/N thrashed about in the chair as they searched for an escape. After around a minute and a half, the electricity stopped and Y/N was left panting for air. 

"That was just the lowest setting, it's about to get a whole lot worse."

**~~~~~**

As the Quinjet readied to land, Steve ran his team over the plan a final time.

"We can expect a strong fight when we land, Stark and I will clear the perimeter, while Romanov, Barton and Maximoff enter the base, Bruce will remain here to monitor comms. Let's go get our Y/N back."

Everyone just nodded and finished their final preparations, before they all charged out of the Quinjet and into the base.

**~~~~~**

As soon as Wanda entered the base, she flew up and hoovered above it. She soon felt and linked with Y/N's emotions and was able to pinpoint his general location. Landing, she silently flicked the HYDRA soldiers out of her way as she stalked towards the room Y/N was being held in. Reaching it, she used her powers to break the door down, which managed to knock out the only soldier in the room. When she noticed Y/N, she gasped and rushed to them, speaking into her comms, "Guys, I've found Y/N, but they're not breathing!".

"Get them to the jet and Bruce, we're almost finished up here," Steve answered first.

"Speak for yourself, Cap!" Clint could be heard faintly over the comms.

"I'll save Barton, you guys get going, Y/N will need to get to the MedBay," Natasha said as she made her way over to the archer.

"Hey, I'm not a child Nat."

"Yeah, sure you aren't."

"Not the time guys, Wanda's at the Quinjet with Y/N, and they’re not in good shape, we need to leave now," Bruce spoke.

"We're on our way out. Everyone, withdraw back to the Quinjet, now." Steve's patriotic voice spoke in ears.

"Will they be ok Bruce?" Wanda asked tearfully, absentmindedly running her hands through Y/N's hair.

"It's too early to tell, but I will do everything in my power to make sure he will be," Bruce replied, attaching an oxygen mask to Y/N's face, before fiddling with another machine.

Wanda sighed and sat down next to Y/N's bed on the jet, her eyes unmoving from their dormant body, waiting for them to wake up.

**~~~~~**

As soon as the Quinjet touched down at the Avengers Tower, Bruce met with the awaiting doctors from the Tower's MedBay, who all quickly lifted Y/N onto a stretcher and wheeled them inside. Wanda immediately rushed to follow, but Steve put an arm out in front and stopped her.

"Wanda, you need to let Bruce help L/N. They cannot fully concentrate on that with you there also."

"I CARE ABOUT THEM STEVE, let me past."

"I know Wanda, I know, we all care for Y/N."

" I ju-just wanna... help him, Steve," Wanda replied as she tried to bury her tears.

"Do you trust Bruce, Wanda?" Steve said, with a sympathetic smile.

"Of course I trust him! Why?"

"Then you know Y/N will be alright.", he said, as he pulled her into a hug, "You can help Y/N, by leaving Bruce and the other doctors, to save them."

Wanda just nodded and released herself from Steve's embrace.

"Let's go and debrief, that will take your mind off Y/N for the time being."

Simply nodding again, Wanda followed Steve to the debriefing room.  _ "I hope Y/N survives, I've missed them. I need them in my life, I think I love them." _


	10. Something More

Y/N awoke suddenly, panting and heaving. They were lying on a soft, comfy bed,  _ "Why am I in a bed?" _ , a tall clinical white ceiling above me. Panicked, and thinking they were about to be tortured again, Y/N tried to lift themself out of the bed.

"Easy Y/N, I need you to try and relax.", Bruce said as he appeared above them and gently pushed them back down, "We need to stitch up the wound in your chest, but because you've lost too much blood already, I can't risk sedating you, in case your body can't wake itself up again. So I'm sorry. but this next part will hurt." he finished giving Y/N a sad smile, before he turned to a nearby table.

One of the doctors then fixed an oxygen mask to Y/N’s face, as Bruce can back above them and into their vision. "The oxygen mask will assist you in breathing, if you start to find it too difficult."

Y/N nodded, before letting out a muffled scream through the mask, as Bruce and the other doctors started to stitch the chest wound. The pain Y/N felt was some of the worst they’d ever had, almost at the level of some of their torture.  _ "I'm going to die." _

**~~~~~**

Sitting in the debriefing room, with her fellow Avengers, Wanda paid no mind to what Steve was saying to them. Her mind was on Y/N and her eyes stared blankly straight ahead, she was focused on nothing and everything at the same time.

Then, she felt something at the back of her mind. Another mind she had not felt so strongly for a long time.

Y/N

Her happiness that Y/N was awake, was immediately replaced by severe pain, that coursed through her entire body. Gasping, and falling to her knees on the floor, the other Avengers swarmed around her, concern in their eyes.

"Maximoff? Are you ok?" Steve queried.

"Wanda?! What's wrong?" Natasha asked.

"Y/N's awake, Nat, but they’re in so much pain. I can feel it all." She replied, crying now.

"You need to disconnect from him Wanda, he wouldn't want to see you hurt."

As if Wanda had not heard Natasha at all, she said, "I'm going to see them.", and with a flick of her wrist she swung the debriefing room doors open, and stalked to the MedBay, paying no heed to the calls of her teammates.

As she neared the end of the final endless hallway to MedBay, Bruce stepped out, exhausted.

"Don't try and stop me, Banner" she spoke, her hands raised, ready to attack.

"I'm not going too, I was actually on my way t-"

"I could feel their pain coursing through me, what did you do to them!?"

"Unfortunately, Y/N woke up during their surgery, we don't know why but that's why they were in pain. We quickly sedated them as soon as we realised. You can go se-"

Wanda sped past him.

"-see them, if you want." Bruce finished to himself, sighing.

"JARVIS, where are the other Avengers?"

"All except, Sir, are in Debriefing Room B, Dr Banner, would you like me to notify them that Mx L/N is now out of surgery?"

"Yes please JARVIS, where is Tony?"

"Mr Stark is currently in his lab, would you like me to alert him of Mx L/N's condition also?"

"Yes thank you, JARVIS."

"Of course, Dr Banner."

**~~~~~**

Y/N awoke with a start, sitting up suddenly, breathing heavily. Glancing around, they took in their surroundings, the unfamiliar brightness of the room at first overwhelming, but something their eyes gradually adjusted to. As Y/N continued to survey the room, their gaze fell on a familiar figure beside him.

"W-wanda?" Y/N croaked out, their throat sore.

"Yes Y/N it's me, you're safe now."

"Wanda, I..." Y/N tried before breaking down into sobs.

"Oh Y/N, everything's going to be alright, I'll never let you get hurt again."

"Neither will we, Y/N," Clint spoke, as the Avengers filled into the room, Tony running in shortly after them.

"How are you feeling, Brother/Sister L/N?" Thor boomed, his loud voice reverberated around the room, it's volume and unexpectedness threw Y/N into a state of panic.

Sensing Y/N's fear, Wanda immediately encased Y/N in a hug to try and stop their shaking, whispering comfortingly to them, while the others glared at God.

"My apologies Brother/Sister Y/N." Thor ashamedly replied, in a much lower tone.

"How are you feeling Y/N?" Bruce asked, now that Y/N had stopped shaking.

"Better, sore I guess."

"That's understandable," Natasha replied.

"Your injuries were extensive, but you should only need to be here for about a week at most."

Y/N just responded with a weak smile, unsure of what to say back. The others are also in the same situation. This continued for 5 uncomfortable minutes until Y/N spoke again.

"I-I didn't say anything to them."

"What do you mean?" Tony questioned.

"They asked about you guys, y'know like secrets, but I didn't say anything." some Avengers laughed, halfheartedly, "You'd think after a month of asking they'd get bored right?" Y/N replied feigning humour.

"Thank you Y/N, we appreciate th-", Steve said before Natasha interrupted him.

"Y/N you weren't there for a month."

"It's only been just under two weeks". Wanda finished.

"But they-they said I'd been..." Y/N trailed off, the realisation slowly hitting home.

"It's a common interrogation tactic.", Natasha explained, "It's meant to make you feel hopeless and abandoned. If a target feels those, they're more likely to reveal what their capters want."

"I thought you'd forgotten about me, I was ready to tell them everyth-"

Everyone felt a pang of guilt after that, the fact that Y/N though they would abandon them, was a horrible feeling.

"But you didn't Y/N, and what matters is you're safe now," Wanda said after a few uneasy moments had passed.

Changing the subject, Bruce asked, “Would you like something to drink Y/N?", passing Y/N a glass of water from the table beside the bed.

Y/N nodded and reached out for the glass, unfortunately, they hadn't quite grasped it when Bruce let go, and so the glass tumbled to the floor. The shattering of glass and the rapid concerned questions from his friends, throwing Y/N straight into a panic attack. Wanda, being the only one to notice, shushed her teammates who instantly stepped back when they saw Y/N state. Tony was the one who sprung into action first.

"Everyone, give us as much space as possible. Y/N, you're having a panic attack you need to steady your breathing."

"I c-can't bre-breathe."

"Try and match your breathing with mine." Reaching out to put a comforting hand on Y/N's shoulder, to which Y/N flinched back harshly at the contact. Tony turned to Wanda, "You need to help them through this, they trust you the most."

Wanda nodded, and turned back to Y/N, "Y/N can I touch you?"

Y/N nodded feebly, between shallow breaths.

Reaching out, Wanda held Y/N's hands in her's. "Try and match your breathing with mine Y/N, in and out, just like I'm doing." As Y/N's breathing began to return to normality, Wanda switched strategies, "Y/N, I want you to tell me four things you can see, it’ll help to ground you."

"Er, you, my hands, the Avengers, erm... the light."

"Great, now three things you can feel."

"Your hands, t-the bedsheets and my heart."

"Brilliant, now finally, two things you can hear."

"Your voice, and the traffic, out-outside."

"Well done, how do you feel now."

"A lot better, thank you, Wanda."

"Anytime Y/N."

"Where did you learn how to do that, Maximoff?", Stark asked.

"Pietro used to get panic attacks a lot, and I've had my fair share of them."

"Well, we should all probably leave Y/N to rest up now," Steve said, as the Avengers said their goodbyes to Y/N, and began to leave.

" _ They're leaving me again, they hate me! They don't need me, I'm useless." _

"Wait!", Y/N called out, causing the others to look round, "I'm er, really sorry, but w-would someone mine staying with me I don't want to... I just can't be on my..."

They seemed to understand and subconsciously began deciding who should stay.

"I'll stay.", Wanda volunteered.

The others seemed content with this outcome, as they began leaving the room again, not before Tony reminded me that JARVIS was there if I needed anything. Wanda walked back to Y/N’s bed and sat down in an adjacent chair.

"You don't have to stay, if you don't want to, I'll understand if you have, like Avenger stuff to do".

Wanda didn't answer, instead choosing to answer one of her questions, "Do you mean what you thought just now?", a sudden sadness in her eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Y/N said, a little flustered.

Wanda gave a sad sigh, and encased Y/N’s hands in her own once more, "You know none of us hate you Y/N, just because you're not an Avenger, doesn't make you any less a part of the team. Just because you don't have any powers, doesn't make you useless."

Y/N just sighed and looked down.

"How long have you been feeling this way Y/N?"

Y/N looked up at Wanda, tears welling up in their eyes, "Why do you care? It's true."

Wanda hit them in the arm, "Y/N L/N you know full well that isn't true, and I care because I love you."

Y/N's face was that of confusion, before they asked, "As friends, right?"

"No, I love you more than a friend."

"I think I feel the same way. I er, I have for a while now."

"Do you think we can be more than just friends, Y/N?"

"Yes, I think we can.", they said smiling, as she pulled them into a kiss. A kiss that felt entirely strange, but also entirely natural.

Wanda laid down on Y/N’s cramped hospital bed, and He pulled her into my arms. They laid together, contently for a while before Wanda spoke.

"I'll help you get through Y/N, we all will."

"Thanks, Wanda, but don't tell anyone else, I'm not ready."

"I won't say anything until you're ready, but know that they all want to help you."

"I know that now. I love you."

"I love you more, Y/N."

Y/N laughed at that, then said, "No, not possible."

Wanda playfully hit them, again, and laughed too, slowly running her hands through Y/N's hair. Soothing their mind, as well as her own. As long as Y/N was safe, she'd be happy.


	11. Epilogue

Y/N knew now that the way forward in their recovery would be hard. Y/N had been through a lot, more than what most would ever dread of encountering. They knew that they'd never recover from all of it, but Y/N also knew that their more-than-just-friend Wanda Maximoff and the other Avengers would be by their side. They'd all been through pain, whether it was in the form of injury, grief or regret. 

Despite knowing that, Y/N couldn't bring themselves to talk about what happened, yet, they were just too afraid, embarrassed. But Y/N knew it was needed, in order to begin the long road to recovery.

**~~~~~**

**This story and the first third of its sequel, Road To Recovery, were written when I was mentally at my lowest. It's very much a self indulgent thing, but as I now go through and edit it, I realise that some people reading/or those that have read this may be in a similar position I was last year. If so, please know you are never alone, and that someone cares, below are two Mental Health Organisations (UK & US) that you can contact. Let me know if you want another country's number and I'll add it.**

**UK Helpline (Mind.org.uk): 0208 215 2243**

**US Helpline (Mental Health America): (703) 684.7722**

**Author's Note:**

> [Cross-Posted on Wattpad](https://tinyurl.com/TOS-Wattpad)


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